History of make up, Elizabethan era

The Elizabethan era makeup intrigues me because their makeup actually gave them illnesses and infections and yet they still continued to wear it.Upper class women of the Elizabethan era wore make-up. Queen Elizabeth I set the fashions and as she grew older she more wore elaborate make-up which hid her wrinkles and other signs of ageing. At one time Queen Elizabeth had contracted small pox which had left some scarring on her face. The heavy white make-up also helped to hide this and maintain her illusion of beauty. The Elizabethan view of pure beauty was a woman with light hair and a snow white complexion complimented with red cheeks and red lips.A pale complexion could only be achieved by a woman of the upper class. Lower class women worked outside and therefore acquired a tan.  The pale complexion ended up a sign of wealth an immediate identification for a person from the upper classes! This alabaster complexion was therefore also required by Elizabethan men! The favoured application of the upper classes was a make-up called ceruse - a mixture of white lead and vinegar. It was poisonous! A pale complexion was so desirable that women harmed thereself just to look good, woman still do today to an extent. Face paint made from plant roots and leaves was also applied. An Upper Class Elizabethan woman followed this fashion further and might even dye her hair yellow with a mixture of saffron, cumin seed, celandine and oil! Expensive dyes such as Cochineal was used to redden the cheeks and lips. Kohl was used to darken the eyelashes.